Patsy Sumner

Patsy Lee Sumner, 84, was born in Detroit Lakes, MN on June 11, 1938, to Floyd and Ida (Lia) Gift. The family moved to Nebraska and Illinois, then returned to Detroit Lakes. Patsy attended Holmes School and then graduated from Detroit Lakes High School with the class of 1956. She worked part-time at Northwestern Bell Telephone during high school and then full time after graduation for the next thirty years. She was forced to retire because of the breakup of the Bell system and the closing of the offices. She then went to work for Hedahls. She helped to care for grandparents and then parents. She volunteered at First Lutheran Church for several years, helped care for several elderly friends, and attended monthly coffee time with graduate friends. She also worked for We-Fest for several of the early years.

Patsy had a great sense of humor. She loved her nieces and nephews with a passion. She kept up with friends and family with a telephone. She made great treats at Christmas, wonderful sugar cookies and jars of Strawberry jam that family fought over. She was a member of First Lutheran Church for over 75 years.

Surviving Patsy are her sister Beverly Olander of Detroit Lakes; niece Laurie (Stephen) Grotnes of Detroit Lakes; great-niece Katie (Jeffrey) Jasch of Detroit Lakes; great- nephew Nathan (Jessica) Olander of Liberty, North Carolina; great-great nieces and nephews Alayna, Kyra, Tate, Brielle, Charles, and Kezzia Olander, Reed and Kelsea Jasch; son in- law Douglas Sumner, Jacob and Gabrielle of Clear Lake, South Dakota; daughter in-law Pamela (Timothy) Strom and Liza and Sumner of Saint Paul, MN.

Preceding Patsy in death were her parents; husband Sam; nephew Steven Olander and grandson Zachery Sumner.

A graveside Celebration of Life for Patsy will be held on Wednesday, June 22nd at 9 AM, at Oak Grove Cemetery on Hwy 59 North.